Ironheart

Initially planned to hit Disney Plus in 2023, Dominique Thorne’s Ironheart has sustained several delays since, especially after an underwhelming 2023 slate. But after a noticeably quiet 2024, the next year is jam-packed for Marvel releases. In addition to big screen outings, the cinematic giant will also witness six MCU TV shows, including Ironheart.

Dominique Thorne as Ironheart in a still from Black Panther: Wakanda ForeverBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever | Credit: Marvel Studios

While some are excited by the first glimpse at the show, some remain doubtful about whether Riri Williams would be able to fill the shoes of Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark.

First Glimpse at Ironheart Garners Mixed Response

Ironheart Ironheart | Credit: Marvel Studios

So far, the MCU hasn’t been too successful in crafting the next set of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Unlike the OG Avengers, the successors haven’t quite sat well with the fanbase.

While on the bright side, the first glimpse at the Dominique Thorne-led show has given fans some hope, as the suits seem a definitive upgrade, some remain doubtful given MCU’s TV slate in recent years.

Although Thorne has proven to be promising as Riri back in Wakanda Forever, considering how big Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man was for the MCU, getting out of his shadow would be a pretty daunting task for the teenage hero.

Dominique Thorne Was Terrified by the Prospect of Bringing Riri Williams to TV

Ironheart in Black Panther 2Black Panther: Wakanda Forever | Credit: Marvel Studios

Even though the first scene she filmed as Riri was with Angela Bassett, who earned an Oscar nomination for her performance in Wakanda Forever, performing alongside the Marvel icon didn’t terrify Thorne.

However, the actress admitted to being terrified by the prospect of bringing Riri into a television series after limited screen time in Wakanda Forever. Thorne further added that before receiving the script, she was perplexed by what she should bring to the table as Riri.

I [didn’t] know if the choices I made worked or not. What’s her family like? What’s her home life? Does she believe in God? All of these questions about who this girl is were questions that were only going to be answered by the [Ironheart] scripts, which I didn’t have at that time. It was like, how do I represent and portray a full human, but also leave room for the rest of her personality to be filled in later? How do I represent a point of view but not commit too strongly to anything, ’cause that could change?”

Hopefully, Ironheart will be the one to end MCU’s draught in the realm of TV, as apart from a few notable exceptions, the slate has been pretty underwhelming.

Ironheart is slated to premiere on June 24 on Disney Plus.